Classic 70s cars

Recently, Bloomberg estimated that a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO will sell for a vomit-inducing $45 million at auction. This is after another Ferrari 250 GTO sold in a private sale for an even more vomit-inducing $70 million. Pretend those owners will actually drive their cars. Pretend that a small collision happens. What then? Ya need parts, kid. The 250 GTO came out over 50 years ago, so replacing anything on one is probably difficult and expensive. But! A collection of rare Italian car parts was recently unearthed. Included are many 250 GTO parts, according to Auto Classics. They are being offered at a no reserve sale at Coys Blenheim Palace auction, taking place today and tomorrow. Included in the collection are: Chassis frame of a 1962 250 GTE (#4105GT) Period-correct Ferrari Tipo 128S V12 A GTO-style highly authentic tubular steel frame Body work sections Wheels Cooling Suspension Braking comenets Dials and gauges The parts were found just days ago in a container at an undisclosed … [Read more...] about The Jackpot Of Classic Italian Car Parts Is Headed To Auction

EXCLUSIVE Jay Leno might be 68 years old, but he's driving like he's 25 in spirit ... and maybe about 90 or so on the road. The former 'Tonight Show' host was spotted revving up on the I-5 freeway in Burbank, CA Sunday in what appears to be a 1930s-inspired whip. We're not car experts, so don't quote us ... but it kinda looks like a classic '70s era Clénet -- maybe even a 1950 Bentley. Eyewitnesses tell us Jay was driving about 55 mph in the right-most lane, flashing the peace sign at cars passing him ... and letting the wind have its way with his hair. We're told the car even backfired while he was cruising ... yeah, you know it's an oldie! There were no other cars or cameras tailing him, so this doesn't seem to have been filmed for his series "Jay Leno's Garage," where he talks shop and tests rides like this all the time. Oh, and don't worry ... he didn't have any major car trouble here -- unlike last time, when he had to change a tire -- as far as we know. Ah, … [Read more...] about Jay Leno Opens the ‘Garage’ and Takes a Classic Car for a Spin

Like stories like this? You’ll see every article as soon as it’s published by reading the print edition of Grassroots Motorsports. Subscribe now. An old car has a certain mystique, a charm that’s tough to capture. It’s about chrome and steel instead of cup holders and plastic. It’s the automotive equivalent of your favorite jeans. Nothing smells like an old car on a rainy day. Old cars can also be a pain in ass, and this is coming from a guy who owns a few cars that predate the 1976 Olympics. You don’t always buy an old car for the measured performance, though, you buy it for the experience. A Nissan Versa can probably roll my Mini Cooper–yes, I own one of the originals designed by Sir Alec Issigonis–but which one turns more heads or transforms every outing into an adventure? In honor of our annual old-school issue, here are a few vintage favorites that can supply nostalgia to those who grew up with fuel injection and radial … [Read more...] about Kicking it Old-School: Six Classics That Have Aged Well

Some cars are so beautiful that it hits you like a canned ham fired from a cannon. The original Jaguar E-Type is one of those, a car capable of generating spit-takes and the sorts of looks that'll get you kicked out of playgrounds. The Alfa Romeo 105/115 series coupés aren't exactly like that. I think they're beautiful as well, but it's beautiful in that way things are when they're just so right. Like seeing an elegant suspension bridge or a gazelle running— there's something about something so perfectly designed it makes your chest hurt a little bit. I've never met another car guy who didn't like the Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV, at least on some level. Sure, you can bitch about Italian reliability, but that's about the limit of anyone badmouthing this car. Along with maybe the BMW 2002 or the first-gen GTi or perhaps an early Mustang, I've just never met anyone who hasn't felt twinges of desire for these cars. (Full Disclosure: I wanted to drive this pretty little jewel so badly, … [Read more...] about 1974 Alfa Romeo 2000 GT Veloce: The Jalopnik Classic Review

I got quite a bit of my love of cars from my father, but the people his age that I knew never seemed to understand why I loved Toyota Supras, Mazda rotary engines and various examples of how Nissan used to give a damn. But the people who did grow up appreciating these kinds of cars are now after them in a big way, and here’s more proof. The folks at Black Book, which tracks used car values, are noting an increased interest as of late in older Japanese cars—particularly the “first wave” that came to the U.S. in the 1960s and ‘70s. Enthusiasts have probably known about their rising values for some years now, but now we have some hard data to back it up. From Black Book, here are the average prices of the cars they’ve noticed have appreciated in recent months, assuming we’re talking about cars in clean condition with low mileage: Honda 1964-70 S600/S800 Coupe $30,000, Roadster $35,000 Honda 1973-78 Civic $15,000 Honda 1976-78 Accord $5,500 Mazda … [Read more...] about The Classic Japanese Car You Want Is Shooting Up In Value